Variable gearing for computing mechanism



Dec. 1, 1936. E. M. ORBECK VARIABLE GEARING FOR COMPUTING MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet l FZQI H.

Filed Feb. 14, 1935 //V VE/V 70/? 45mm: M 085 BY v 4 Dec. 1, 1936. E. M ORBECK VARIABLE GEARING FOR GQMPUTING MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 14, 1935 k x I 5 W fim M Z 7 5 47% A? n, I ll 1936. E. M. ORBECK VARIABLE GEARING FOR COMPUTING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 14, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Dec; 1, 1936. E. M. ORB ECK VARIABLE GEARING FOR COMPUTING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 14, 1935 5 sheets sheet 4 Patented Dec. 1, 1936 MEG EinarM. Orbeck, Norristown, Pa., assignor to John Wood Manufacturing Company, Inc., Conshohocken, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application February 14, 1935, Serial No. 6,465

3 Claims.

pensed at each dispensing operation in gallons element of a meter through which the liquid is dispensed, and the product of the computation is .aggregatedautomatically in the registration of the .value of theivolume dispensed. It is characteristic of .my invention that the means for f aggregating the computations of the two mechanisms aforesaid is a train of planetary gearing, including two sun gears and a rotary carrier, in

. coaxial relation; said carrier supporting the axes of a plurality of planetary gears in mesh with both of said sun gears.

In the form of my invention chosen for illustration, the cents computing mechanism is connected to turn one of said sun gears and the fractions of cents computing mechanism is connected to turn said carrier and the aggregated movements of the two computing mechanisms is manifested by rotation of the second sun gear which is operatively connected with means for indicating the aggregate value of the liquid dispensed. r

In that embodiment of my invention, each computing mechanism includes a conlcalassemblage '101 gears of different sizes; the gears of the cents computing mechanism respectively corresponding with wholecents of the price and the gears of the fractions of cents computing mechanism respectlvely corresponding with different numbers of tenths of a cent of the price. The meter mechanism of thedispensing apparatus is selectively connected with gears of both of said computing mechanisms by manually adjustable selector gears so that the connection between the meter mechanism and said computing mechanisms may be varied in precise accordance with the current price of the liquid dispensed, whereby the aggregate of the two computations is in precise accordance with the volume and price per unit of volume of the liquid dispensed.

My invention includes the various novel features of construction and arrangement hereinafter more definitely specified.

In said drawings, Fig. I is an elevation of a metering pump of the curbstand type, conveniently embodying my invention.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken on the line II, II in Fig. III, in the direction of the arrows on said line.

Fig. III is an elevation of the computing registering mechanism shown in Fig. II, as seen from the left hand side of that figure; being the rear of Fig. I.

Fig. IV is a vertical sectional view, taken on the line IV, IV in Fig. II, in the direction of the arrows on thatline. I

Fig. V is a plan sectional view of said computing and registering mechanism, taken on the line V,

V in Figs. III and IV.

Fig. VI is a fragmentary vertical sectional view,

taken on the line VI, VI in Fig. V, in the direction of the arrows on said line.

Fig. VII is a diagrammatic sectional view, taken through the centersof the gears in the selector train shown in Figs. II and IV, and indicated by dash and dot lines in Fig. III.

Fig. VIII is an elevation of the face of said com- .puting registering mechanism opposite to that shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. I, the liquid dispensing apparatus is principally contained in the housing which is adapted to be rigidly mounted upon a pavement or a platform at a curb or driveway and includes three transversely extending cast metal frame members, viz., the base member I, the intermediate member 2, and the top member 3.

, Said frame members I, 2 and 3 are rigidly connected in the vertical relation shown bya columnar frame including the standards 4 connecting the frame member I with the frame member 2, and the standards 5 connecting the frame member 2 with the frame member 3. Said housing includes the lower casing section 6 extending between said frame members I and 2 and the .upper casing section 1 extending between said frame members 2 and 3. Both of said sections 6 and I are rectangular tubes of sheet. metal with rounded corners.

The liquid to be dispensed is conveniently stored in anunderground tankfrom which it is elevated through the pipe 9 by the operation of the pump II. Said pump includes a rotor having the shaft I I with the grooved pulley I2 connected by the cluding the valve 24 which is normally closed but may be opened by the dispensing operator. The hook lever 25 which is fulcrumed at, 28 on said casing I is providedto support the hose nozzle in idle position, the outer end of said lever being then depressed by the weight of the hose and nozzle. The inner end of said lever 25 is pivotally connectedwith the vertically reciprocatory rod 21 which carries the bracket 28 for operating the electric switch 28. The arrangement is such that when the outer end of said lever is lowered, as shown, said switch 28 is opened to deenergize said motor l8 and stop the operation of said pump Ill, but, when said lever 25 is raised at its outer end, said switch is closed to operate said pump.

Said flow meter I8 includes a rotor which is turned by the passage of liquid therethrough from said conduit I8 to said conduit 28 and has the shaft 3| which makes one revolution for each gallon of liquid passed through said meter. As

indicated in Fig. II, said meter shaft is arranged to operate the computing and registering mechanism above contemplated by means of the coupling 32 which connects said shaft 3| with the I shaft 33 and is loose enough to permit said shafts 38, and the top wall 38. Said shaft 33 is also journaled in the bracket 4| extending upwardly from said bottom wall 34 and carries the miter gear 42 engaging the miter gear 43 on the tubular shaft 44 which is mounted to rotate on the solid I shaft 45 which is journaled at its opposite ends in said end walls 35 and 36. Saidtubular shaft 44 carries the gear 48 which meshes with the gear 41 on the shaft 48,which is journaled in the end wall 38 and in the intermediate partition wall 48. Said gears 48 and 41 are of the same diameter, so that said shaft 48 is turned one revolution by each revolution of said meter shaft -3|. Said shaft 48 rigidly carries a conical assemblage of thirty gears including opposite end gears 5| and 52 respectively corresponding with the highest and the lowest price of the fluid dispensed.

- Said thirty gears may be selectively connected with the long pinion 53 by which the dials indicating the Amount of sale, 1. e. the value of the :volume of liquid dispensed, are turned, as hereinafter described. Such selective connection is effected by the gear 55 which is carried by the rocker frame 58 so that it maybe lifted to and from engagement with any selected-gear in the conical series 5| to 52. Said frame 55 carries the blade 51 which, in any engaged position, extends as shown in Fig. V into the interlocking sleeve 58 which is controlled by the whole cents price display dial 80. Said sleeve 58 includes a series of thirty arcuate slots in its periphery, of which four are designated respectively 6|, 82, 83, and. Said series of slots are so disposed in spaced relation circumferentially and axially as to correspond with the numbers on said dial 68 s which represent the whole cents of the price and,

in the embodiment of my invention illustrated, range from six centsto thirty-five cents. The slot 8| corresponds with the price of thirty-five cents; the slot 82 corresponds with the price of twenty-one cents; the slot 83 corresponds with the price of seventeen cents; and the slot 84 corresponds with the price of six cents.

As shown in Fig.III, said dial 58 is in fact a ring having the cross plate 85 extending diametrically between the numbers 6 and 35 upon one side and the numbers 20'and 21 upon the other slde to support said ring in connection with its axial hub 81 and shaft 68. Interruption of the regular spacing of said numbers by the interposition of the ends of said plate 88 necessitates a corresponding irregularityin the spacing of said slots in said sleeve 58 which is rigidly connected with said shaft 68 so that said sleeve may be turned with said dial 88 to display a selected cents number of the price at the price display window 89, in the panel 10 shown in Fig. V, and at the same time locate the proper slot in the series on the position shown in Figs. II and V, said blade isin the slot 83 corresponding with the price of seventeen cents, and thus positions the gear 55 in mesh with the gear 5| on said shaft 48, which gear 5| is the seventeen cent price gear. I

Said sleeve 58 has at the right hand end thereof in Fig. V the ratchet head II which has a circular series of thirty depressions I2 in its circumference to selectively engage a ball detent I8 which is mounted in the bearing I4 on the housing wall 38and provided with the spring I5 secured by the cover screw 18 causing said ball to continually frictionally engage said head by engagement with successive depressions I2 therein. The annular abutment. flange TI on said sleeve 58 serves to hold said sleeve in proper axial position by contact with the inner face of said bearing I4.

The similar interlocking sleeve I8 which is controlled by the fractional cent'price display dial 88 is mounted to turn freely .on the left hand end of said shaft as which, as above noted, is rigidly mounted in said sleeve 58. As indicated in Fig. III, said dial 88 has a. circular series of nine numerals thereon respectively .1 to 9.9, representing tenths of a cent, for display through said window 68 at the right of the displayed numeral of the dial 60. Said sleeve I8 has a series of ten arcuate slots of which three are marked 8|, 82, and 83. The slot 8| corresponds with the fractional cent price of 31? and the slot 82 corresponds with the fractional cent. price 0 ".9". The slot 88 corresponds with the zero position of said dial. between the numerals .1" and ..9f', which position represents .0 cent, and. a zero mark might be included between the last named numerals but is omitted because of its similarity to I the numeral .9 which might be confusing to the operator and customers. Said sleeve I8 has the ratchet head 85 which has a circular series of ten depressions 88 in its circumference to selectively engage a ball detent 81 which is mounted in the bearing'88 on the housing wall 35 and provided with the spring 88 secured by the cover screw 88, causing said ball to continually frictionally engage said head by engagement with successive depressions 88 therein. The annular abutment flange 8| on said sleeve I8 serves to hold said sleeve in proper axial position by contact with the inner face of said bearing; 88. Said sleeves 58 and 18 are thrust apart, against said hearings in the walls 35 and 88, by the spring 82 encircling said shaft 88 between said sleeves.

thereby shifted to cooperate with any oneofthe s and the shaft I02 arranged to be turned one rev-] that, it may be adjusted axially, when said blade.

94 is disengagedfrom the sleeve Said lever 95 carries the selector. gear 0'! which may be series of nine fractional cent gears of which three are respectively marked 98, 93, and I00 and which are rigidly connected with the sleeve IOI olution by the meter shaft 3| for each gallon of liquid dispensed. Such turning movement is effected by providing said sleeve 44 withthe ear I03 which engages the gear I04 on said shaft I02. Said nine gears have respectively different numbers of teeth so as to effect computationupon a basis of different numbers of tenths of a cent, from .1 to .9", which they add to the computation, as hereinafter described. For instance, the gear", which is conveniently cut in said shaft I02,'as indicated in Fig. II, corresponds with one-tenth of a cent, the gear 99 corresponds with three-tenths of a cent, and the gear I00 corresponds with nine-tenths of a cent. Said gear 91 is shown in Figs. II and IV engaged with the gear 90 which corresponds with the pricedisplay of .3 of a cent by the dial 80 in Fig. III.

The movements of the two computing mechanisms above described, respectively operating with reference to the whole cents portion of the price and a fraction of a cent portion of the price are aggregated for transmission to the registering and indicating mechanism by means of a train of planetary gearing best shown in Fig. II. That train includes the sun gear I06 which is rigidly connected with the left hand end of said long pinion 53, conveniently by the pin I01. The hub of said sun gear I06 is journaled in the intermediate housing partition wall 49 and supports the left hand end of said long pinion 53, as shown in Fig. II. Said sun gear is in coaxial relation with the carrier gear I08 which is journaled to rotate upon the hub of said sun gear I05. Said carrier gear is provided with bearings I09 for the shafts IIO ofthe planetary gears II I... which are in mesh with said sun gear.,I06 and also in mesh with the sun gear II3 which is in coaxial relation with said sun gear I06 and carriergear I08 and rigidly connected, conveniently bythe.

pin II4, with the shaft I I5, which is journaled in the left hand end of said long pinion 53 and in the end wall of the housing. The meter shaft 3| turns in the direction indicated by the arrow thereon in Fig. H with the effect of turning said long pinion 53 in the direction, of the arrow'marked thereon in Fig. II and with the effect of transmitting that motion in the reverse direction to the shaft II5. Saidshaft II5 has the pinion IIG cut thereon in engagement with the idler gear I", indicated in full lines in Fig. IV, which transmits the motion to the registering mechanismgear' I I8. I

Saidgear H8 is in coaxial relation with the shaft III) with which the dollar unit dials I2I and I22 are rigidly connected'at its opposite ends, as shown in Fig. II, but is carried by the tubular shaft I23 which is mounted to turn freely on said shaft H9 and journaled in a bearing in the housing wall plate 35. which supports both shafts at that end. However, said gear H8 is connected with said shaft I23 by friction clutch means to permit said gear II 8 to remain stationary (in indirectconnection with the meter shaft 3 I) while said shaft I23 is turned in the reverse direction rigidly connected therewith, the dial I30 gradu '10 shown in Fig. VIII. Said cents dial shaft I23 to set the value indicating dials back to zero position as hereinafter described. Such clutch means includes the abutment rings I25 and I25 which are rigidly connected with said shaft I23, and the spring I21 which is compressed between said abutment I26 and said gear III! to press the latter in frictional engagement with the clutch rings I29 interposed betweensaid gear III! and the abutment I25. Said tubular shaft I23 has,

ated, with'marks, partly indicated in Fig. III, indicating one hundred cents. The graduations of said cents dial I30 are successively presented in a registry with the index window I3I in said panel alsocarries the gear I32 by which it is connected .to cause the dollar dials I 2I and I22 to turn, as hereinafter described.

The fraction of a cent computing mechanism remains idle during the operation last above described if the price basis of the computation is in whole cents only. However, if the price basis of the computation includes any fraction of a cent for instance, .3 as indicated in Fig. III, the movement of the computing mechanism based upon 5 a fraction of a cent is aggregated with the movement imparted to the shaft I I 5 and its pinion IIB from the long pinion 53 as above described. To effect such aggregation, the selector gear 91, shown in Fig; IV, carries the pinion I34, upon the oppo- 3O I site side of said selector lever 95, in engagement with the gear I35 whichis the first of a series of four idler gears mounted upon stud shafts I35 fixed in said lever 95, the other idlers being respectively I31, I38, and I39. The latter is in mesh with the gear I which is keyed upon the pinion I M so as to turn the latter, conveniently by a circular series of internal teeth fittingbe ween the teeth of said pinion, so that said gear I40 is readily movable axially on said pinion by the movement of said lever 05 but drivessai'd pinion MI in any position to which it is adjusted. Said pinion I4I engages said carrier gear I08 so as to turn the latter in accordance with the movement of the selected fraction of a cent gear in the conical series 98 etc. and thereby augment the movement of the sun gear H3 and, consequently, augment the movement of the registering mechanism gear I I8 in accordance with the value of the fraction of a cent basis of the computation. However, if the price basis of the computation is entirely in whole cents, said selector lever is moved to the right in Fig. II so that said selector gear 91 does not engage any of the fractional cent gears 98 etc. and in position for the teeth of the pinion I34 carried by said selector gear 91 to be" engaged by the detent I43 which is a stud fixed in said housing partition wall 49 and conveniently formed of a piece of pinion rod having teeth fitted to-the pinion I34. The effect of that arrangement is to hold the carrier gear I08 stationary except when computation is being made upon a price basis including a fractionof a cent.

I-find it convenient to locate the price dials I46 and I41 respectively like the dials and 80 upon the right hand side of the housing, as indicated in Fig. V, and to also locate upon the right hand side of the housing indicated in Fig. II a cents dial I48 like the cents dial I30, and to connect the dollars dials I 2I and I22 with the cents dials I30 and 8- by suitable means, sothat the dollars dials are turned to manifest anincrement of one dollar uponeach revolutionof said cents dials and to manifest the same figures upon opposite sides of the housing.

I chosen for illustration such means and October 31, 1934, for Letters Patent of the United States for -Joseph C. Woodfords Improvement in computing registering mechanism for liquid dispensing apparatus, but it forms nofpart' of the present invention, which is limited to thevariable gearing including a differential gear train by which the computation of the value of the liquid dispensed based upon both'the whole cents and the fraction of a cent portion of the price may be aggregated. I

Referring to Fig. 11, said tubular shaft 44, which is turned one revolution for each gallon of liquid dispensed through the meter I9, islfrictionallyengaged with the shaft 45 which it encircles by the friction spring disk I5ll.interposed between the collar I5I which is pinned on said shaft 45 and the flange I52 on th'ehub of said gear I03. Said shaft 45 has pinned thereon the gear I54 by which it may be set back manually, as

hereinafter described, while said shaft 44 remains stationary in its indirect engagement with said meter shaft 3|. u Said shaft 45 has fixed upon its respectively opposite ends the oppositely counterpart fraction'al gallon dials I55 and I56; the dial I55 being shown in Fig. III. Each of said dials I55 and I56 has a circular series of ten numerals thereon respectively 5 to 1 6 which represent tenths of a gallon, and zero representing the whole gallon.

Said dials are normally turned by frictional con- I at the window I51 and with respect to the index pointer I51 in said panel 10, and the dial I56 at the corresponding window in the panel I59 while the shaft 44 is held stationary by its conneotion with the meter I9.

Thewhole gallons dials I60 and I6I are respectively journaled upon the hubs'of said frac-. tional gallons dials I55 and I56, as shown in Fig. II, and prevented from axial displacement thereon by the collar I63 and the hub I66 of the tappet cam I which are fixed upon the shaft 45 by the pins securing said dial hubs. Said dials I60 and I6I have oppositely counterpart circular series: of twenty numbers thereon from 1 to ,0 representing twenty gallons the zero also representing the initial position of the dials. As said dialsl60 and I BI are turned, the numbers thereon are respectively presented at said window I51 in said panel 10 and at the corresponding window in said panel I59. To turn' them, I provide said dials I60 and I6I with respective gears I61 and I69, which are respectively in mesh with gears I61 and I68, on the gallons dials connecting shaft I69, as shown in Fig. V. Said shaft I69 is journaled in said opposite end plates 35 and36 and the intermediate plate 49 of the computer housing; endwise movement of said shaft being prevented by the hub of said gear I61 and the collar I1I opposed thereto upon the inner face "of the wall 35 and pinned to said shaft I69. Said tappet cam I65, carried by said shaft 45 of the fractional gallon dials I55 and I56, makes one revolution for each gallon dispensed through the meter I9 and, as shown in dotted lines in Fig.

a single toothadapted to successively engage,

the ten teeth on the star wheel I12 shown at the right hand endof said shaft, I69 in Fig. V, conveniently in unitary relation'with said gear I69.

The relation of said tappet'cam I65 and the star wheel I12 is such that, at each revolution of said fractional gallon dials] I55 and1I56, said shaft I69is turned one-tenth of a revolution and turns said gallons dials I60 and I6I one-twentieth of a revolution toregister and indicate dispensation of a gallon. Said dials are detained in each position to which theyare thus shifted, conveniently by roller detent means, asin said Woodford application and forming no part of the present invention.

Said ing and indicating mechanisnila arranged to be set back to zero position by clockwise rotation of the crank I19 shown inFig. I

extending exterior to the upper casing section 1.

Said crankis, indirectly, operatively connected with the set-backshaft I15, indicated at the lower left hand side of Fig. V, which, through the train of gearing shown in that figure, is operative to set all of the value and volume indicating dials back to zero position by overcoming the friction of the clutches which are normally operative to advance the dials. However, the

set-back mechanism indicated in this case is not herein claimed, being the subject matter of dispensed by successive operations, as in said Woodford application Serial No. 750,805;

It may be observed that the employment of two groups of gears of diiferentslzes is advantageous, not only because the mechanism may be accordingly arranged to greater advantage with respect to the amount of space available within liquid dispensing apparatus of a standard size,

but, because ofthe great advantage of having each group of such gears respectively relating to units of value, and fractions of a unit of value respectively local to the rotarymembers 58 and 16, by which the selection of the respective gears in the two groups is effected in conjunction with r the respectiveelements 51 and 94. The dual arrangement shown facilitates the manipulation and ready adjustment of such gear selecting means. I

I do not desire to limit myself to the precise.

details of construction and arrangement herein set forth, as it is obvious that various modifica- 30 application Serial No. 754,201 filed November.

tions may be made therein without departing from the essential featuresof my invention as deflnedin the appended claims. I

I claim: l

1. In a change speed gear set, the combination with arotatable driving element; of two groups of gears of different sizes; one of said groups representing units, and the other of said groups representing fractions of such a unit; means for separately actuating each of said groups from said single driving element; means for separately manually selecting gears in each group for con-- nection with said driving element; a driven element; and means for aggregating the movements of said two groups, to move said driven element, comprising a train of planetary gearing, including twc sun gears and a carrier in coaxial relation, and a planetary gear supported by said carrier; wherein the traction of a unit mechanism is connected with said carrier to turn the latter when that mechanism is operative; and detent means for preventing said carrier from turning when said'fraction of a unit mechanism is idle.

2. Mechanism as in claim 1; wherein the means for selectively utilizing single gears in the fraction of a unit mechanism includes a selector train of gears which are continually in mesh with each other and axially movable together, and the detent meansis a stationary stud having gear teeth for engagement with a gear of said selector train, and said selector train is axially movable to and from engagement with said detent.

3. Mechanism as in claim 1; wherein the means for selectively utilizing single gears in the fraction of a unit mechanism includes a selector train of gears which are continually in mesh with each other and axially movable together, and the detent means is a stationary stud having gear teeth for engagement with a gear of said selector train, and said selector train is axially movable to and from engagement with said detent; and means for holding said selector train in any selected position, including a lever supporting all oi' the gears of said selector train, free to oscillate upon the axis of one end gear of said train, and having at the opposite end of said train a blade, and means for engaging said blade in any selected axial position, and including the inoperative position of said train, comprising a member having an axially spaced series of slots ifor selective engagement with said blade. 7

EINAR M. ORBECK. 

